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Старый 27.03.2012, 12:40 Автор темы   1
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Wink2 Crelant 7G5 V2 (XM-L U2, 1x/2x18650) Thrower Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSHOTS+

Warning: pic heavy, as usual.





Welcome to the new second edition of the 7G5, a high-output thrower light from Crelant.

So, how much has changed from the first version of this light? You might be surprised …

New 7G5 V2 Manufacturer Specifications: (changes from V1 reported specs identified in brackets)
  • LED: CREE XM-L U2
  • Hi mode brightness: 850 lumens (previously 860 lumens reported on 2x18650 for the V1)
  • Low mode brightness: 240 Lumens
  • Modes: High-Low-Strobe
  • Input voltage: 2.7V - 12V (previously 3.7V to 16V for the V1)
  • Power supply, not included: 1x or 2x 18650 Li-ion battery (previously 3xCR123A, 4xCR123A, 3x16340, 2x18650, 2x18500)
  • Runtime*]1*18650 (650 lumens) - 90 minutes (not previously supported for the V1)
  • 2*18650 (860 lumens) - 110 minutes (previously 90 mins for the V1)
  • Switch: Forward tactical clicky switch
  • Material: T6061-T6 Aircraft Aluminum (previously T7075 for the V1)
  • Finish: Hard Anodized (type III)
  • Stainless steel bezel (previously aluminum for the V1)
  • Tactical grip ring (not present on the V1)
  • Lanyard ring (not present on the V1)
  • Waterproof: IPX-8 rating, beyond 5 Meters
  • Length 251mm, Head 62mm, Body 25.4mm
  • Weight: 287 grams (without batteries) (previously 315g for the V1)
  • Note: The GITD O-rings on the extension tube are replaceable with the included black o-rings.
  • Note: the V1 included anodized square-cut threads, not included on the V2
  • ncludes extension tube, spare o-rings, lanyard (previously no lanyard on the V1)
  • MSRP: ~$92
Ok, so a lot has changed here. Let's go through it all a step at a time …





First point – the printed packaging specs have NOT been updated yet, at least on my sample. The printed specs are no longer correct, please refer to the reported specs cited above (especially in terms of supported cells – 4xCR123A will blow the circuit on the V2). Hopefully these will be corrected on the packaging soon.

Packaging remains fairly basic. Inside the clamshell plastic, you will find the light, spare o-rings and GITD boot cover switch. New on the V2 is a basic wrist lanyard (as the light now comes with a removable lanyard ring).




From left to right: 4GREER 3100mAh 18650; Crelant 7G5-V2, 7G5-V1; Tiablo A60G; Niwalker 750; Thrunite Catapult V3, Sunwayman T40CS.

All dimensions are given with no batteries installed:

Crelant 7G5-V2: Weight: 282.6g, Length: 251mm, Width (bezel): 61.4mm
Crelant 7G5-V1: Weight: 321.3g, Length: 247mm, Width (bezel): 61.4mm
Niwalker NWK750: Weight: 392.3g, Length: 264mm, Width (bezel): 59.0mm
Sunwayman T40CS: Weight: 296.7g, Length 227, Width (bezel): 63.5mm
Thrunite Catapult V3: Weight: 434.8g, Length: 254mm, Width (bezel) 58.0mm, Width (tailcap) 35.1mm.

Since the V2 now fully supports 1x18650, here are some additional comparisons to that class of light:

Crelant 7G5-V2: Weight: 247.6g, Length: 247mm, Width (bezel): 61.4mm
Tiablo A9 Flood (XM-L U2): Weight: 156.7g, Length 158mm, Width (bezel) 45.1mm
Xeno G42: Weight: 224.3g, Length 161mm, Width (bezel) 46.6mm
4Sevens X7: Weight 146.9g, Length: 151.5mm, Width (bezel): 38.7mm
Scorpion V2 with Turbo Head: Weight: 188.3g, Length: 171mm, Width: 41.0 (bezel), 37.0mm (tailcap grip ring)







The V2 7G5 appears to be a completely different build. There is really nothing similar to the old model, except for the user interface, emitter and reflector. The light engine "guts" thus seem the same, but in a new shell – note however that the circuit has gone through a voltage range revision (see below discussion below).

The original 7G5 build seemed very basic, somewhat reminiscent of a number of the budget lights - except with a few nice features like anodized square-cut threads and a 1xCR123A-size battery extender (allowing for 3x or 4x CR123A/RCR, and 2x 18500 or 2x 18650). The new model is completely different, with a 1x18650-sized extender (giving you 1x or 2x 18650). That physical change has necessitated a circuit change, to fully support 1x 3.7V Li-ion. As a result, 4xCR123A is no longer supported (i.e., the voltage range has been reduced to ~12V max). More on this later …

This new build seems a lot more robust. The wall thickness seems higher now - but overall weight has decreased. This seems mainly due to a weight reduction in the head, with the V2 head being 42g lighter than the V1. This may indicate reduced heatsinking.

Physically, the aluminum body has apparently changed from T7075 to T6061. These are both "aircraft grade", but I understand that 6061 is somewhat softer than 7075 (and supposedly less prone to break or crack). Given that we aren't likely to be directly subjecting our lights to take-off and landing stress, I don't imagine this really matters much in a flashlight.

The anodizing is a glossy black now. Lettering is a much brighter white, standing out better against the background. There are a series of GITD o-rings along the battery extender tube (presumably to help with grip). These can be replaced with the included black extras supplied.

There is no knurling on the V2 light, but there is a removable rubber grip ring now. I generally like rubber grip rings, but I find this one to be a little too small (i.e. I prefer a wider ring, for more stable finger support).

The V2 can no longer tailstand, but the forward clicky tailcap is much easier to access now. There is a removable metal clip ring, allowing you to use a wrist lanyard now (oddly, there were no attachment points of any kind on the V1).

Sadly, screw threads are no longer square-cut or anodized for tailcap lock-out. Triangular threads seem of good quality, though.

There is now a slightly scalloped stainless steel bezel ring around the head. There is a GITD o-ring below the new bezel. The lens is of improved quality - it is much clearer now, with a definite anti-glare coating. The reflector appears completely unchanged from the earlier 7G5, and should continue to provide excellent throw.

There is still a spring on the positive contact plate in the head, so flat-top batteries should work fine.

Is it just me, or does the overall build look a lot like the Sunwayman T40CS (which in turn looked a lot like the Surefire UB3T Invictus?).

FYI, Tiablo is apparently the owner/manufacturer of all Crelant lights (you'll note the same Canadian source address for both companies in the promotional material).

User Interface

The 7G5 V2 has the same interface as the V1 - which is very basic. Turn the light On/Off by the tailcap forward clicky switch. Press for momentary on, click and release for constant on.

Mode switching is controlled by soft-pressing or rapid Off/On clicking of the tailcap switch. Mode sequence is Hi > Lo > Strobe, in repeating sequence. Light has mode memory, so if you leave it off for more than 2 secs, it remembers the last mode used and returns to it upon activation.

Personally I would rather see Strobe "hidden" in some way, and not on the main sequence.

For a more detailed examination and comparison of the build between V1 and V2, please see my video overview:

Прямая ссылка на видео YouTube


Video was recorded in 720p, but YouTube typically defaults to 360p. Once the video is running, you can click on the configuration settings icon and select the higher 480p to 720p options. You can also run full-screen.

PWM/Strobe

There is no sign of PWM that I can see, at either output level – I presume the light is current-controlled.



Strobe was unchanged, measured at a very fast ~16 Hz.

Also as before, there was some high frequency noise detectable on my oscilloscope setup at each level. This not visually noticeable.




Basically, the circuit seems completely unchanged from before (aside from the altered voltage range, that is).

Beamshots:


Crelan 7G5-V1 on the left, 7G5-V2 on the right.

7G5-V1


7G5-V2


As before, 7G5 has a large head, with a deep and smooth reflector. This means excellent throw – I would expect the V2 to be unchanged from the V1.

And now the white-wall beamshots. All lights are on 2x AW protected 18650. Lights are about ~0.75 meter from a white wall (with the camera ~1.25 meters back from the wall). Automatic white balance on the camera, to minimize tint differences.

Note: My positioning seems a little off with the V2, which was recessed a little further back from the wall (giving a wider spillbeam width). In real life, the two versions have exactly the same beam characteristics.













The V1 and V2 have virtually identical beams. The only real difference comes from minor focusing variations. Note that as before, you can unscrew the bezel, which may help with fine-tuning the adjustment.

And now for the outdoor shots. These beamshots were done in the style of my earlier 100-yard round-up review. Please see that thread for a discussion of the topography (i.e. the road dips in the distance, to better show you the corona in the mid-ground).



Again, the 7G5 V2 is unchanged from the V1. I'm also added the Tiablo A60G above, so you can see how the latest thrower made under the Tiablo label performs in comparison. Tiablo seems to be the maker for Crelant, but the 7G5 uses a larger reflector than the A60G.

From my original 7G5 V1 review:



As you can see, the 7G5 has a more focused hotspot than the Thrunite Catapult or Olight SR51. Scroll down for full ANSI FL-1 testing results.

Testing Method:

All my output numbers are relative for my home-made light box setup, a la Quickbeam's flashlightreviews.com method. You can directly compare all my relative output values from different reviews - i.e. an output value of "10" in one graph is the same as "10" in another. All runtimes are done under a cooling fan, except for any extended run Lo/Min modes (i.e. >12 hours) which are done without cooling.

I have devised a method for converting my lightbox relative output values (ROV) to estimated Lumens. See my How to convert Selfbuilt's Lighbox values to Lumens thread for more info.

Throw/Output Summary Chart:

My summary tables are reported in a manner consistent with the ANSI FL-1 standard for flashlight testing. Effective March 2012, I have updated the Max Output ANSI FL-1 lumen estimates to represent peak output measured at 30 secs (my earlier gray tables were based on a later time point for Max output). Please see http://www.flashlightreview... for a discussion, and a description of all the terms used in these tables.



Although my V2 sample has slightly lower output and throw, I don't consider this to be significant. There is bound to be some variability between samples, due to circuit/emitter differences. Exact positioning of the emitter and reflector will also affect throw.

As a reminder, the best way to compare overall throw among lights is by looking at beam distance, not raw lux at any given distance. As you will see, my V2 has ~2.5% less output, and ~6% less throw. This is within normal variation.

Since the V2 can now run on 1x as well as 2x battery sources in the 1x18650 size, let's put it through its paces relative to that class:



The output of the 7G5 V2 on 1x18650 is quite good – I get almost 600 estimated lumens, with over 30K lux@1m throw. That makes it the best throwing reflectored 1x18650 light in my collection at the moment.

Because the 7G5 V2 takes 2x18650, it can also run on 2xRCR or 2CR123A (in theory). But here is where the problem comes in – the nearly 800 initial lumens on Hi is a heavy drain for these low capacity cells.

Note that the new specs for the 7G5 V2 specifically to NOT support 2xRCR or 2xCR123A. But since I know some of you are bound to try it, here is what happens if you do:




I STRONGLY urge you NOT to try 2xCR123A on Hi on the 7G5 V2. My experience of other heavily driven >700 lumen XM-L lights is that this kind of drain is bound to trigger the PTC safety circuits within minutes. This is NOT something you want to do intentionally. In addition to cell (and user) safety, those kinds of cell temperatures can also easily damage circuits.

If you are going to try running 2xRCR on Hi (again, not recommended), you should only consider using good quality IMR cells rated for this current drain. Unfortunately, IMR cells are not protected, so please use caution not to over-discharge them. And again, there are no guarantees the light will be able to handle the heat in the smaller configuration.

Note that the ~300 lumen Lo mode should be quite safe for 2xRCR or 2xCR123A.

As a last word, do not even think about trying 4xCR123A. I tried this on the first V2 I was sent (before I was advised of the revised specs), and blew the circuit within the first few mins of runtime. The V2 no longer supports anything higher than ~12V max.

Output/Runtime Comparison:




No real difference in the 2x18650 performance of the V2 compared to the V1. The 7G5 performance remains quite good for this class.




As with most multi-power lights, the 7G5 V2 appears to be direct-drive-like on Hi on 1x18650, with good efficiency. On Lo, the light is fully regulated, and quite efficient for this class.

Again, I don't recommend you try running the 7G5 V2 on 2xRCR, but here is what you could expect on Hi on IMR cells:



I will NOT be attempting 2xCR123A on Hi, since those drive levels would be bound to trigger the PTC safety circuits. But here is how the light performs on Lo on 2xCR123A:



Potential Issues

The V2 no longer supports 4xCR123A, but does fully support 1x18650 now.

Strobe is still on the main sequence, along with Hi and Lo.

As before, the light lacks a true "Low" mode (more like Hi and Med, compared to most lights).

Light can no longer tailstand, but it is easier to access the forward clicky switch.

Light no longer uses square-cut threads, and is no longer anodized for tailcap lockout.

Weight of the head has decreased on the V2, making me wonder about the level of heatsinking on this new version.

As before, the reported ANSI FL-1 output specs seem overstated. Output and runtime efficiency are in keeping with other good quality, heavily-driven lights in this class.

Preliminary Observations

The original 7G5 V1 was basically a no-frills, high-output thrower. Throw was particularly good – it was the best throwing reflectored XM-L light that I had tested in the 2x18650-class. The new V2 is driven to the same level, and uses the same emitter and reflector, providing comparable output and throw.

That said, a lot has changed in this new version. To start, the light no longer supports 3xCR123A/RCR or 2x18500 in the base configuration, and 2x18650, 4xCR123A in the extended. This new V2 is rated for 1x18650 in the base configuration, and 2x18650 only in the extended. In my view, the light is too heavily driven on Hi to support 2x CR123A or standard ICR-based RCRs, and 4x sources are definitely NOT supported (i.e. 4xCR123A will blow the circuit, as I can verify).

That said, the full support for 1x18650 on the V2 is a definite bonus now. Although output is lower than 2x18650, it is still high enough to make this the best throwing reflectored 1x18650 that I have tested to date.

In terms of the physical build, it feels like the V2 was manufactured by an entirely new factory (except for the circuit and reflector). On the whole, I like the higher quality feel of the new V2 parts. The stainless steel bezel is welcomed, and the lens seems of much higher quality (with excellent anti-glare coating). The tailcap is much easier to access (although can no longer tailstand), and the lanyard ring and wrist lanyard are appreciated additions.

That said, I regret the loss of screw thread anodizing for lock-out (and the reversion to standard triangular-cut threads) on this new build. Moreover, the head has much lower mass now, making me wonder about potentially reduced heatsinking.

What hasn't changed is the circuit performance. As before, you still get very high max drive levels, and overall output/runtime efficiency (on both Lo and Hi) that is on par with well-established, brand-name current-controlled lights. But you still have the fairly basic interface, with a relatively bright Lo mode and strobe on the main sequence (but at least you still mode memory).

Although the price has increased somewhat, the 7G5 V2 remains a good bargain for a max-throw style high-output XM-L light. While you can no longer run 4xCR123A, the ability to run 1x18650 at a reasonable output level is likely a feature that will appeal to many.

----

Crelant 7G5 V2 was supplied by Intl-outdoor.com for review.
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MOHAPX (27.03.2012)
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